Review: Single O Killerbee (Sydney, Australia)

This was the second bag I bought from my visit to Single O. Most of the other beans I was bringing home from Australia seemed to be designed for drip (realized too late about the Sensory Lab Steadfast Blend, oops!), so I was excited to get my hands on an espresso blend. Australia and New Zealand are both well-known around the world for their exceptional coffee culture, and they seem to be more dominated by espresso and espresso-based drinks vs. drip/pourover coffee. Certainly in my time visiting New Zealand several years ago, I never had a bad cup of coffee/espresso in that country, and the same is true of Australia.

I enjoyed reading this description on the back of the bag:

The secret to this blend’s sweet nature lies in the origins of the beans and the roaster’s craft of gradually developing the coffee’s natural sugars during the Maillard reaction, until the “sweet spot” is found. Gently the Killerbee roasts, sweetly it strikes.

Whole bean: Sweet aroma but no one aspect stood out.

Espresso: All of the shots I poured with these beans were good to great, with varying notes like plum, clove, and cherry brightness. The best of the lot was heavy on the milk chocolate flavor, with loads of crema and a beautiful smoothness.

With milk: I didn’t write any notes on this but Shutterbug definitely enjoyed his lattes made with these beans, so thumbs up from our house!

AeroPress: Nice chocolate flavor with a hint of nuttiness. A coffee that tastes like “good coffee.”

French press: I don’t normally brew an espresso blend in a press pot but I was curious to see what would happen. This brewed up a coffee that was rich in milk chocolate, brown sugar, cherry, and honey flavors. I underlined the word smooth in my notes. Very enjoyable!

Summary: Lovely smooth espresso, enjoyable in an AeroPress, delicious in a French press. A terrific coffee from a notable Sydney-area roaster!

From the roaster: Killerbee is our sweetest blend with flavours of dark honey, toffee and a tropical fruit sweetness. It has mild acidity, creamy texture and a milk chocolate finish.